-M. Pristilla R. Lyngdah

Ka jingnang ka jingstad ka long kaba kordor haduh katta katta, ka dei ruh ka atiar kaba khlain tam, ban iada na kino kino ki jingeh bad jingshah ban bein ne leh bein. U Chanakya uwei na ki 'riewstad u ong, "ka jingnang ka jingstad ka dei ka spah bah kaba ym don ba lah ban tuh noh, kan iaidon hi bad ngi, wat lada ngi ai lem la kiwei". Haba kylli ia uwei pat u 'riewstad, u Aristotle, "Haduh katno u briew uba la nang uba la stad u kham khraw ban ia uto u bym nang u bym stad, u jubab katba long uba im ia uba iap". Ngi im ha kane ka juk, ha kaba ka jingnang ka jingstad ha kut ki liang ka la kiew lut, bad teng teng, ngim lah shuh ban sngewthuh. Mynta ka dei ka por ha kaba ngi ialeh tang da ka jabieng, ka jingstad bad ka jingshem phang. Kano-kano ka Ri bad ka Jaitbynriew kan nym lah satia ban kiew shaphrang, lada ngim khein kor ia ka jingnang ka jingstad, bad pyntbit ialade ha bun ki liang, kat kum ki sap ki phong kiba ngi don. Ka Sorkar ka don ka jingkit khlieh kaba khia shibun eh, ha kaba kyntiew ia ka thoh ka pule, ka jingnang ka jingstad, ka dei ka kamram jong ka Sorkar ban peit bad pynkhlain ia ka tnat trei kam ai jingnang jingstad, khnang ba ka jylla kan kiew shaphrang.

       Haba ngi phai sha ka por jinglong samla, ngi shem ba ka long ka por kaba sngewtynnat tam, ka por jong ki jingsngewbha bad jingkmen, hynrei ka long ruh ka por jong ki jingialeh, kaba dap da ki jingeh ba bun jait kiba ki samla ki hap ban takynduh. Dei ruh ha kane ka por, ba ki samla ki saiñdur ia ka jingim bad ki ioh ia ka jingnang ka jingstad. Lada ki im ia ka jingim kaba bha, khlem pynsyrwa ei ia la ka por ha ki kam kai kam thala, ki samla ki lah ban tei ia ka lawei ba phyrnai, katkum ka jingthmu jong bun ki samla pule. Hynrei lada ki bakla bad lap-miet ha ki kam ki bym dei, bad pynsyrwa ei ia ka por ha ki kam ki bym ai jingmyntoi, kin sa babe hadien. Ka jingai ka bakhraw tam, bad ka spah bah, ba ki kmie ki kpa kiba kot bor, ki ai ha ki khun ka dei ka jingnang ka jingstad. Bun ki khynnah bad samla kiba duk kiba wan na nongkyndong, kiba angnud bad thrang hir-hir ban ioh pule ha ki skul bad ki college kiba bha, hynrei kim ioh lad satia. Kumta ki samla kiba ioh ka lad, ki dei ban pyndonkam hok ia kane ka kabu ksiar kabu rupa kaba ki kmie ki kpa ki ai ha ki.

       Man la u snem, hadien ba la mih ki result jong ki Examination bapher-bapher, khamtam jong ka HSLC/SSLC, ngi shem ba ki samla pule ki mareh na kawei ka college sha kawei pat ban ioh admission. Ki kmie ki kpa ki hap ban mareh lang ban pynwad jaka ia ki khun. Ka jingkhuslai ka kham jur ha ki kmie ki kpa, kiba kwah ia ki khun jong ki ba kin ioh pule ha ki college kiba bha Ha Shillong ka jingeh kam dei bym ioh admission, hynrei bym ioh ban pule ha ki skul bad college kiba bha, kiba ki kmie ki kpa bad ki khun ki kwah ban pule. Hynrei ka don ka jingsngewthuh bakla ba ym don jaka ia ki samla pule ha bun ki college ha Shillong. Kaba nga kwah ban ong, ka long ba ngim dei ban pyndonkam bakla ia ki jaka pule kiba long kiba kyntang.

    Ki skul ki college ki dei ki "temple of learning". Mynta ngi la poi ha ka por jong ki jingkylla, bad ka juk jong ka jingiakhun (age of competition), bad ka juk jong ka jingpynbit ialade (age of specialisation). Kumta lada ki samla ki leh bha bad ioh result kiba bha, kim don jingeh satia ban rung ha kino-kino ki skul bad ki college. Ka Shillong ka dei ka pneh jong ka jingnang jingstad, ha kaba ki skul bad ki college kiba bha ki la don naduh ka por phareng. Kumba long ha kiwei pat ki bynta jong ka Ri, ngi dei ban don ki skul bad ki college kiba bha ha ka Jylla, kiba long ka jingsarong ia ka Jaitbynriew. Kiwei pat kin peit ba ha ka Jylla jong ngi, ngi don ki jaka ai jingnang jingstad kiba bha tam (quality education). Kumta ki samla ki ban ioh rung ha ki skul bad ki college ba bha, ki dei ruh ban ioh result ba bha. Ki samla kiba pass bha da ka "merit" jong ki ki lah ban ioh pule khlem jingeh ei-ei ruh. Ym don jingniew shiliang khmat iano-iano ruh, lada ki dei kiba duk ne ki ba riewspah, kiba khraw ne kiba rit, kiba na sor ne nongkyndong.

    Ki samla ki dei ruh ban nang ban jied ia ka jingpule jong ki, bad ki dei ban da kylli bad pan jingmut. Ki kmie ki kpa ruh kim dei ban pynbor ia la ki jong ki khun, ki dei ban da ia-phylliew jingmut shwa, bad peit ia ka jinglah bad jingtbit jong ki khun. Ki samla haba ki leit pule ia kano kano ka lain, ki hap ban pule bad minot bha. Baroh ki kwah ban leit pule science, hynrei lada ym lah leh bha, ki duh jingkyrmen noh. Don pat kiba leit science bad commerce, hynrei ym lah, shi snem ar-snem ialeh-shi-ialeh, ynda kut, leit pule Arts biang. Kumta iaid ki sngi ki snem bad ka jingleh-nohei ka por, namar ka por ba la leit kan nym wan phai shuh. Ki samla ki dei ban sngewthuh ia ka bor la jong, bad kim dei ban kynjoh kulmar ia kaei-kaei ka bym lah. Ka jingjied bakla ia ki jingpule, ka wan rah ia ka jingbabe bad jingbymhun jong ki samla. Ki samla kim dei ban shu leit pule tynneng tang ba leit lang ki paralok, ne ba pynbor ki kmie ki kpa, ne tang ban ioh scholarship. U Blei u la ai ha ngi la ki sap ki phong, bad ka jingnang-jingstad ka long ban pyndonkam ryngkat lang bad ki sap ki phong kiba ngi don. Bun ki briew ki bym lah ban pass bha ha ki examin, hynrei ki stad pat ha ki rukom trei jong ki, kum ki lain suh jaiñ, misteri, suh kot, mechanic bad kiwei-kiwei de. Ka jingnang-jingstad, ka jingleit pule kam mut tang ban ioh kam ophis, hynrei ban lah ban leh hi ruh ia kano-kano ka la jong. Lada u briew u don ka jingnang jingstad, u trei kam la jong, u khaii, u ñiah taxi, u rep ne u leh kano-kano ka kam ym don ba lah ban thok ia u, bad ka kam jong ki kan iaid shaphrang. Don bun ki lad pynmih kam ha ka Ri jong ngi, ngi shu ap lut na shabar wat i thyrnia rit ruh. Ngi bam doh bam pylleng man la ka sngi, hynrei kine ki wan na shabar. Kumta, ba ngin long ki kynrad ha la Ri la jong, ngi dei ban leh hi, ban ieij, bad burom ia kano-kano ka kam. Ngi dei ban ieng ha la ki jong ki kjat, da kaba bat hi ia ka ioh ka kot, ka khaii ka pateng bad ki kam ba bun jait. Kiwei pat ki jaitbynriew kiba wan hangne, tang khyndiat por ki la kylla riewspah. Hynrei ma ngi pat ngi jied ia ki kam, don ki jait kam kiba ngim kwah ban trei. Ngi kwah ban leit trei kaba suk, wat tang ban leit trei kham jngai ruh ngi salia, ngi thait ba jngai. Kiwei pat ki jaitbynriew na jngai bah ki wan ban trei shane wat tang i kam iba rit ruh.

    Ki khynnah Khasi ki long kiba stad, hynrei bun na ki kim pynshitom ialade, ki shu hun tang ban pass malu-mala. Kane ka long lehse ba ngim pat mad ia ki jingeh kum kiwei pat ki jaitbynriew. Kiba la mad ia ki jingeh ki sngewthuh, ki hap ban trei shitom, ban pass bha, ym tang ban ioh leit pule, hynrei ban ioh kam ruh. Ngi iohi ha ki list jong kito kiba leit pule Medical, Engineering bad kiwei-kiwei pat ki jingpule. Katno ka jingiapher ki marks jong ngi bad kiwei pat, wat lada mynta, ngi la kham kiew shaphrang. Ki samla kim dei ban hun ban rih tngen sah ha ka "Reservation" bad ka "grace". Ka Reservation kan nym lah ban neh sah shi rta jingim. Shu buh lada weng noh ia ka ha kano-kano ka por, to ngin kylli talade, la ngi long ne em kiba tbit, bad kloi ban ialeh bad kiwei pat? Ngi ieh ia kane ha ki samla ba kin pyrkhat bha.

Barabor, ngi don ka jingsngew ba ki khynnah Khasi ki tlot jingkhein bad kim lah. Hynrei haba nga kylli ia ki nonghikai, ki ong ba, kam long kumta, hynrei dei ba ki khynnah kim ju practice ia ki jingkheiñ. Ban leh bha bad stad ha ka jingkhein dei ban practice man ia ka sngi. Sa kawei pat, kim nang ban pyndonkam ia ka por, ki shu lapmiet ha kiwei-kiwei ki kam, khlem tip ia ia ka jong ka por. Ka don ka por ban ia leh sngewbha, ka por ban bam, por thiah, por trei bad por pule kot, dei ban nang ban bynta ia ka por. Ki khynnah wat lada ki tlot bad duna katno-katno ruh, hynrei lada ki minot bad trei shitom, kin kham ioh ki marks kiba bha. Haba la minot bad ym lah, kata, dei ban hun bad yn leh kumna pat. Ki samla kim dei ban lapmiet ha kiwei-kiwei pat ki kam, namar kane ka dei ka por ha ka ban tei ia ka lawei jong ki. Ka pyrthei bad ka jingstad ki long ki ba iar, ym dei ban hun ban im tang ha ka jylli ka barit bad ka jingiohi ka barit.

     Ki samla ki dei ban ialeh la ki entrance test/admission test, khamtam kito kiba dang dep Class-XII ban ioh ban leit pule ha ki jaka pule kiba bha da ka "merit" jong ki. Ym dei ban hun ap tang ki "quota" jong ka State. Ki samla ki dei ban ialeh ruh ia ki Competitive Examination kiba bun khnang ba kin lah ban ioh kam ioh jam. 

    Ki samla ki dei ruh ban ieij ban pule ym tang ia ki kot skul, hynrei ki kot khubor, magazine bad kiwei-kiwei de ki kot ki babha, khnang ban iar ka jingmut-jingpyrkhat bad ban lum shuh shuh ki jingtip. Kham ñiar ban iohi ia ki samla jong ngi ban leit pule kot ha ki Library. Ha ki iing Khasi jong ngi, ngin lap ki TV, video, tape bad kiwei-kiwei de ki jingbuh-jingsat kiba rem dor, hynrei khyndiat eh ki ban don ki kot bad ban thied kot, lait na ki kot pule skul bad college, ban bsa ia ki jabieng jong ngi. Phin shem barabor, ba ki samla kiba pass ia kino-kino ki competitive examination bad interview dei ki samla kiba smat ban pule kot. Kumta, ngi dei ban pynlong ka jingmlien ban pule bad thied kot ha ki iing ki sem jong ngi.

    Mynta ka dei ruh ka juk ka Science bad Technology. Ka jingstad ha kane ka liang ka la iaid stet haduh katta-katta bad ym lah pei phang shuh. Ki TV, computer, video, cable networks bad kiwei-kiwei de ki la pyniajan ia ka pyrthei. Kine ki lad pynphriang khubor ki wan rah ia ki jingbha bad kumjuh ruh ia ki jingsniew lada ngim nang ban pyndonkam ia ki. Ngi hap ban iaid kat kum ka jingiaid ka por. Ngim lah ban phet ne kynran dien. Ki don bun ki prokram kiba bha kiba tei ia ki samla, bun ki jingiakren halor ki subject bapher, ki Quiz, UGC programme bad kiwei-kiwei kiba ai shibun ki jingmyntoi.

    Khatduh eh, kaba kumno ka Ri bad ka Jaitbynriew ngin ioh, ka shong eh ha ki samla, ki ban bteng ia ka lawei ka ban dang wan. Ki samla ki dei ban kiew ha ka jingnang jingstad, ki dei ban long kiba minot bad trei shitom bad ioh ia kiei-kiei lyngba ka jingtrei-shitom. Ngi dei ban kynmaw ruh ba ka jingnang-jingstad ba pura kam mut tang ban ioh ki degree bapher-bapher, hynrei ban kiew ruh ha ka akor ka burom, ka longbriew ka manbriew. Ngim dei ban long ka Jaitbynriew kaba la kiew ha ka jingnang-jingstad, bad hiar pat ha ka akor ka burom. Kumba ong u Mahatma Gandhi, "ka jingnang ka jingstad kaba shisha ka long ban sei lut ia kiei-kiei ki jinglong ba bha na u briew, ha ka liang ka met ka mynsiem bad ki jingmut jingpyrkhat". Ki samla ki dei ban tur shaphrang bad beh ia ka jingnang-jingstad, ha ki bynta ki bapher, khnang ba kin lah ban leh hi, trei hi synshar hi bad ba kin long kynrad ha ka Ri la jong bad ban tei ia ka Ri bad ka Jaitbynriew ha ka nongrim ka baskhem.

[I Kong Pris i dei ka nonghtikai bad Principal ka Shillong College. Dang shen la jied la i sha ka Sahitya Academy, New Delhi.]

Ba la sot na ka souvenir jong ka KSU ba la pynmih ha u snem 1998 kum shi bynta ban rakhe ia ka jingdap 25 snem jong ka seng.